When budgets are tight, skills and training is often first to get the chop. This can be fatal, because a skilled workforce can be the difference between success and failure in a competitive economy. For those investing in skills, the bottom line benefits include improved profitability, productivity, and customer and staff retention.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is the national skills body combining careers, skills, training and funding services and delivers the Modern Apprenticeship programme on behalf of the Scottish Government. Last year SDS delivered training and development including more than 26,000 Modern Apprenticeship places to companies including drinks giant Diageo, energy supplier SSE, engineering group Motherwell Bridge and Borders Biscuits, the Lanarkshire-based biscuit maker.